


The Bloodsucker Blunder

by graveExcitement



Series: Rigel Black and Vampirism [3]
Category: Rigel Black Series - murkybluematter
Genre: Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Gen, Inspired by The Rigel Black Chronicles, News Media
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:42:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28233360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graveExcitement/pseuds/graveExcitement
Summary: After the events of the final task, Rigel Black is suspected of being a vampire, and Rita Skeeter is on the case!
Series: Rigel Black and Vampirism [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2068221
Comments: 22
Kudos: 89
Collections: Rigel Black Chronicles Appreciation, Rigel Black News Report





	The Bloodsucker Blunder

**Author's Note:**

> Fanfiction of murkybluematter's Rigel Black Chronicles. **Spoiler warning** : This fic contains major spoilers for chapter 13 of The Futile Facade, so if you're not caught up, click away!
> 
> Thanks to PrettyPinkCupcake for the beta!

**BLOODSUCKER NOT BLACK: THE VAMPIRE IMPOSTER**

In the days since the tumultuous final task of the True Triwizard Tournament, the question on everyone's minds is: Who is Arcturus "Rigel" Black? 

It is clear at this point that "Rigel" Black, the darling of Hogwarts and the so-called "pureblood champion," is neither pureblood nor Arcturus Black. 

The failure of the magical transference ritual attempted by the terrorist known as "Voldemort" and Rigel Black's own words prove that the boy we thought was Rigel Black is, in fact, a halfblood and an imposter. (For details on the magical transference ritual, see page 9.) 

However, Rigel Black's deception goes even further: he is also a vampire. 

I realize, dear readers, that this may sound like a headline that one might read in certain conspiracy theory magazines lacking journalistic merit. However, this is a deadly serious matter, and I implore you to read on. 

According to the Auror Department's analysis, Voldemort was possessing a vampire named Gavril up until the failed magical transference ritual, after which point Voldemort gained his own body and Gavril was discarded. 

Amongst the many witnesses I interviewed, none were able to recognize the vampire who took Rigel Black hostage and attempted the magical transference ritual. (All witnesses were able to recognize Voldemort after he gained a new body; for theories on Voldemort's parentage, see page 6.) 

However, Rigel immediately recognized him, naming him as "Gavril" before switching to the name "Voldemort." How was Rigel able to recognize Gavril when no one else could? Like recognizes like, and only a fellow bloodsucker would know Gavril by name. 

Furthermore, Rigel Black was witnessed taking a Killing Curse to the chest and barely flinching. 

This is, bluntly, not possible for any living wizard; however, it might be possible for a member of the undead, such as a vampire. Vampires are not known to be immune to the Killing Curse; however, they would be incentivized to hide this immunity if they had it, and it is well within the realm of possibility.

My analysis does not end at the True Triwizard Tournament's finale; it is only the beginning. After all, if Rigel Black is a vampire, there must have been some sign of it beforehand. I pored through past articles and interviewed Rigel's former friends, classmates, and teachers, seeking evidence to prove or disprove my theory.

Rigel Black had a number of accomplishments to his stolen name even before he was nominated for the True Triwizard Tournament. At the age of eleven, he cured the Sleeping Sickness, and at twelve, he slayed a basilisk. 

In retrospect, this should have raised red flags: how could someone so young possibly accomplish such impossible feats? Rigel being an immortal vampire would explain much about his extraordinary abilities.

Rigel was known as an athletic type; he played Beater for Slytherin in his second year, was a prominent member of the Dueling Club in his third year, and was seen exercising outdoors on a regular basis. 

Yet somehow despite all of this, he never tanned, forever remaining a ghostly pale. Alone, this would not be evidence of vampirism, but it is a point in the theory's favor.

According to Slytherin fourth-year Millicent Bulstrode and former friend of the imposter, Rigel was known to correspond with someone who Rigel refused to name, but coyly referred to as "old-fashioned" and "ancient." 

This "ancient" colleague reportedly wrote to Rigel on heavy vellum, using Moonglass ink; whoever it was, this correspondent of Rigel's could very easily have been a fellow vampire. 

"He is wicked fast," admitted Gryffindor fourth-year Ron Weasley. "His reflexes are insane — did you see him fight Dawlish?" 

Indeed, the duel between Rigel Black and Auror John Dawlish in the final task was perhaps the highlight of the task until it was hijacked by the terrorist Voldemort. 

That a (supposedly) fourteen-year-old was able to best one of Wizarding Britain's top Aurors is incredible; however, if Rigel has the speed and reflexes of a vampire, it makes sense.

Of course, I had to ask Rigel's former best friends, Slytherin fourth-years Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, what they thought of the idea. 

Mr. Malfoy refused to comment, but Miss Parkinson snapped, "If you knew him, you would find that as ridiculous as I do. Rigel, a vampire... He doesn't even eat meat!" 

Others confirmed that Rigel was indeed known to be a vegetarian; however, I observe that a cunning vampire would avoid meat in public, since it might tempt him to try and drain it dry. 

Indeed, vegetarianism in public and drinking blood in private seems all too likely in this case. Rigel received regular owl-order packages; according to his classmates, he claimed they were potions ingredients, but it would have been trivial for him to smuggle in blood into the school using these deliveries.

Astute readers may be thinking that as Rigel Black was witnessed in direct sunlight multiple times during the True Triwizard Tournament, he could not possibly be a vampire. 

One of Rigel's classmates, Slytherin fourth-year Theodore Nott, told this reporter that Rigel was known by his friends to carry an "experimental magical device" on his person at all times. This could easily have been a device for the purpose of warding Rigel against the effects of sunlight, letting him pass beneath suspicion.

According to Mr. Nott, Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House, claimed that Rigel's device was for the purpose of keeping him alive. If it is indeed a sunlight-warding device, then it could be said to be keeping Rigel alive (or rather, undead, since as a vampire Rigel would not truly be alive.) 

Professor Snape told this reporter that the device in question was classified and refused to comment further.

Ravenclaw fifth-year Cho Chang seemed skeptical. "If he was a vampire, he must have had an iron will," she said. "We were in Healing together, and I never saw him react to the injured animals we practiced on." 

Given what we already know about Rigel, it would not be surprising if he were also able to ignore blood sources through sheer force of will, provided he was receiving blood regularly.

Slytherin seventh-year Aldon Rosier had a different perspective. 

"Rigel claimed to want to be a Healer, but he always avoided the Hospital Wing if he got hurt, ever since his first year. That always puzzled me. But if he didn't have a heartbeat, it would have showed up on diagnostic charms. Maybe that was why?" 

I asked Madam Poppy Pomfrey whether she could confirm this, but she refused to comment, citing Healer-Patient confidentiality.

"Definitely a vampire, our Rigel," said Gryffindor sixth-year Fred Weasley. "I mean, he doesn't eat food, right? So everything on his plate was going to waste. That's how he got the idea to donate it to charity, I reckon."

"So you knew he was a vampire?" I pressed.

Mr. Weasley laughed. "No, of course not. But when you look back, it's obvious, right?"

I couldn't agree more. At the time, it was impossible to guess, but in retrospect, it is becoming increasingly clear that whoever he is, Rigel Black is a vampire. 

This, of course, has serious ramifications; for four years, our children were attending school with a vampire, with none the wiser... 

At that point, Harry set down the article and laughed until she was nearly crying. She'd expected the speculation about her identity, the interrogations of her friends, but this was absurd. How did anyone take this tripe seriously? There were logical holes throughout; Skeeter had even spun her vegetarianism as _evidence_ while also quoting Fred's claim that she didn't eat food. Merlin, Fred had to be in hysterics just about now. Not just Fred — all of Hogwarts had to be having a good laugh at this, after reading that a Weasley Twin had been quoted as a credible source.

The thought sent a pang of heartbreak through her; she wished she could be there, laughing with the twins and all her other friends. Instead, she could only toast to their work from afar. Had they coordinated on this? It was difficult to tell. Either way, it was masterfully done; everything they'd said was true, save for Fred's contribution, of course. And it was also all completely meaningless. She'd achieved her dueling skills and reflexes through practice and tutelage, not vampire speed, she didn't tan due to the modified Polyjuice, and the magical device Theo had mentioned was her Ministry-approved time turner. 

And of course the crowning jewels of the so-called "evidence": that she knew a vampire by name and had exchanged letters with another one. Because only a vampire would be interested in speaking with vampires, _obviously_. She shook her head at the sheer ridiculousness of that claim; if knowing a group of people meant you were in that group, she would be pureblood by now.

The only halfway sensible "evidence" in this poor excuse for an article was her surviving the Killing Curse, and even that was a stretch. Vampires didn't have a pulse, but that didn't make them immune to the Killing Curse as far as she was aware. 

Was the Daily Prophet so desperate to distract from the fact that a halfblood had won the tournament that they would try to explain it away by her being an immortal vampire? Or had Skeeter's scoop-chasing led her into hot water with Harry's friends, and this was their revenge? Either way, it was hilarious. No one would believe this.

And if by some chance they did... well, she would be happy to prove that Harry Potter was not a vampire, and therefore could not possibly be Rigel Black.


End file.
